CM Rekha Gupta, ministers take broom duty
New Delhi: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta took up a broom in Shalimar Bagh on Tuesday, leading from the front in the capital’s Mega Swachhata Campaign under Seva Pakhwada, a fortnight of public service being observed to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday. Joined by her council of ministers, MLAs, councillors, sanitation workers, and residents, the Chief Minister actively swept streets, removed old posters, and appealed to citizens to treat cleanliness as a daily habit rather than a symbolic activity.
“Cleanliness is not merely a task but a way of life. Until we all come together to adopt it as a habit, the dream of a ‘Swachh Bharat’ will not be fulfilled,” Gupta said while pulling down defacing posters from public walls. She urged people not to spoil the city’s beauty with illegal wall writing and added, “Please do not use my photograph in any poster. Such activities spoil the beauty of the city.”
Calling the effort more than a one-day exercise, the CM planted saplings at the site to emphasise the importance of greenery and environmental responsibility. “A one-day drive cannot solve the problem. This has to be a regular effort involving institutions, public representatives, officials, and every citizen,” she said, stressing that waste such as plastic bottles, tobacco pouches, and wrappers were damaging both public health and the city’s appearance.
As the CM led from Shalimar Bagh, her ministers fanned out across different stretches of Ring Road. Education Minister Ashish Sood personally cleared garbage near Rajdhani College, saying the government has “resolved to make Ring Road and its adjoining areas clean and beautiful before Diwali.” Social Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh picked up litter with residents and students in Shalimar Bagh, warning that careless disposal of plastic waste leads to clogged drains. “Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene ensures good health and helps reduce healthcare expenses,” he said.
At Dhaula Kuan, Health and Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh called the initiative a mass movement. “Swachhta Hi Seva is more than just garbage removal, it is a movement to create a clean and healthy capital, and the active participation of every citizen is critical for its success,” he remarked, noting that over 75 public welfare programmes, from hospital upgrades to new bus services, are being launched under Seva Pakhwada.
Meanwhile, senior minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa spearheaded a drive at Raja Garden, linking cleanliness to the larger development vision. “Cleanliness is the foundation of PM Modi’s Viksit Delhi dream. Delhi will be developed when its streets are clean, people are healthy and safe; we have pledged that we will not stop until we achieve that,” he said.
